The Hawaiian language came from the Malayo-Polynesian language and other Polynesian dialects and was strictly an oral language till the outsiders (New England missionaries) arrived in the 1820’s. The 5 vowels a,e,i,o and u as well as the 8 consonants h,k,l,m,n,p, w and ' (which is called a glottal stop) make up the entire Hawaiian alphabet. In the Hawaiian language a consonant is always followed by a vowel which also means all Hawaiian words end in a vowel. Please note that the glottal stop is not used in phonetic name translations, just literal Hawaiian words.
As Karen and Buzz shared in their Cruise Introduction, names and words are more easily pronounced when they are broken down into single syllable chunks. So check out the name of Hawaii ’s state fish, humuhumunukunukuapua’a, and now try pronouncing it hu-mu-hu-mu-nu-ku-nu-ku-a-pu-a-a. Was that hard? Now sounding it out phonetically will be easy-peasy, try it... who-moo-who-moo-new-coo-new-coo-ah-poo-ah-ah. Sometimes the letter W is pronounced the same as V as in the traditional pronunciation of Hawai'i which is phonetically pronounced huh-vi-ee rather than huh-why-ee. Now you can sound like a “local” instead of a tourist.
Stressed vowels
a - ah, as in car: aloha
e - a, as in may: nene
i - ee, as in bee: honi
o - oh, as in so: mahalo
u - oo, as in spoon: kapu
Unstressed vowels
a - a, as in about: ali`i
e - eh, as in met: kane
Traditionally Hawaiian name were given by an elder of the family to a child with a specific meaning. The family elder might have received a specific meaning through a dream or a family characteristic that the family would like for the child to represent or a certain distinguished characteristic the child was inherited with. As an example a female name Lani means Heavenly.
There are only 13 letters in the Hawaiian language as you read above. Therefore many of the names may sound similar and have phonetic translation based on the sounds the name makes when said with the Hawaiian alphabet and word structure.
The Hawaiian translations we are providing here are phonetic and have no literal meanings. This was given simply for fun and entertainment.
Enjoy looking for your name below as the following are all of our cruisers in our group and their Hawaiian name as translated:
ALEX /ALEXANDRA - “Alika” / “Alekaneka”
ANDRE - “Anakele”
ANDREA - “Anakalia”
ANGIE - “Anie”
BOB - “Lopaka”
BUZZ / CLIFFORD - “Puko” / “Kalipona”
CONNIE - "Kani"
CONNIE - "Kani"
CAROLE - “Kalola”
DIANA “Kiana”
DEE DEE “Ki Ki”
DUANE - “Kuane”
ELLIOTT - “Elioka”
FUMI/FUMIKO - “Pumi” / “Pumiko”
GARY - “Kali”
HOLLY/HORACE - “Hali” / “Koleka”
IRENE - “Ailina”
JAN - “Lana” / Kanike
JIM - “Kimo”
JO MARY - “Lomalia”
KAREN - “Kalena”
LEE - “Li”
LIEN - “Lieni”
LINDA - “Linaka”
MICHAEL / MIKE - “Mikale” / “Mikala”
NORM / NORMAN - Nolumu” / “ Nolemana”
PAT/PATRICIA - “Paka” / “Palika”
PEGGY - “Paki”
REAGAN - “Lekana”
ROCKY - “Loluki”
ROGER - “Lokela”
ROSS - “Loke” / Keoni
RUSSELL / RUSS - “Lukela” / “Luke”
SARA - “Kala”
SEAN - “Kana”
STELLA - “Kela”
TED/ THEODORE - “Keka” / “Keokola”
WENDY / MARY - “Weniki” / “Malia”
Photo provided by maunalani.com
Article information and Hawaiian Names adapted and provided by:
Article information and Hawaiian Names adapted and provided by:
"A Friend in the Islands", company owners: Mike and Kim Crinella
Hawaii By Cruise Ship, 2nd edition by Anne Vipond
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